Casket handle



April M, 1936. W-F. SHEELEY` CASKET HANDLE Filed Nov. 12, 1935 Ms'hzey Patented Apr. 14, 1936 CASKET HANDLE William Frederick Sheeley, Galesburg, Ill., as-

signor of one-half to Gale Davison, Galesburg,

Ill.

' r Application November 12, 1935, Serial No. 49,374

12 Claims.

This inventionV relates to improvements in handles for bodies of the nature of caskets, and pertains particularly to an improved folding handle.

wall. The prefe rred form of handle is the one employing the arms rigidly attached to the casket, but these are undesirable because of the fact that the box in which the casket is placed or the grave vault, must be made extra wide to compensate for the distance the casket wall.

which the handle projects from The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved casket handle which has all of the desirable features of the fixed or rigid handle type with the advantage that it may be released and folded down against the side wall of the casket so that the casket may be placed in a smaller vault or box than'would be possible if the handle were fixed.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide a novel folding i handle structure in which the handle when raised for use or folded will be held tightly in position and cannot move or rattle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding handle which when in position for use may be firmly secured and which is so designed that when released Vfor folding it must be drawn outwardly before its remaining in it can be lowered, thus assuring place when it has been raised to the position in which it is to be used.

p The invention consideration of will be best understood from a the following detailed descripmodified so long any strict conformity with the as such changesl or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention pended claims.

as expressed in the ap- In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view showing a handle embodying the present invention' partly in side elevation and 'partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a ver tical sectional view through the' central part of the handle structure showing the same in raised position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the handle lowered or folded.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view of the blank from which a portion of the handle structure is formed.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the centralr part of the handle fixture showing the arm lowered.

Referring now more particularly to the `drawing the numeral I indicates a portion of a casket upon which the handle embodying the present invention is shown applied. This handle comprises a body portion 2 which may be of any desired form and which in the present instance is shownas a pressed metal plate having a central outstanding rib 3 which at its lower end merges into the shell body or portion indicated generally by the numeral 4 andconsisting of a top wall 5 and depending side walls 6. This shell borders an opening 'I in the body, and it is to be understood that this opening may be formed in any type of body without having the rib 3 but having the shell 4 formed integral with and projecting over the face of the body, or the shell may be formed in any other desired manner. The side walls 6 of the shell 4 are provided with suitable apertures to receive a pin 8 which extends transversely of the shell between the walls and each side wall is pressed outwardly to form a recess 9 1 which opens from the forward edge of the wall, as illustrated in Fig. 6. One of these recesses is provided with a threaded aperture to receive a screw IO, the purpose of which will be hereinafter fully described. 5

The numeral ll indicates generally a bar supporting arm. This arm is of hollow Construction and is formed from a sheet metal blank of the character illustrated in Fig. 5. This blank before folding comprises an elongated strip of material |2 which has' laterally extending wings |3 at one end and at the opposite end wings |4 which are of less width than the Wings l3. The body |2 is bent intermediate its ends to form a ring through which the tubular handle or hand grip [6 is extended and previous to the bending of this portion the Wings |3 and |4 are bent to posiI tions at right angles with the body |2 so that the Wings |3 will be brought into overlapping relation with the Wings |4 and secured thereto by the tongues ll which are formed integral with the Wings l3 and which are extended into recesses |8 formed through the strip k|2 at the end adjacent the wing portions l4. Each of the Wings is also provided with a slot l9-and these slots -in the Wings I3 aline with the similarly formed slots in the Wings I4 when the Wings are folded as described and receive the bar or pin 8 upon which the arm I I slides and oscillates.

The wing portions I3 of the strip I2 are located over the outer sides of the Wings I4 and each of these Wings I3 has a lug 20 formed upon its outer side, one of which has an aperture 2I formed therethrough. These lugs are adapted to slide into the recesses 9 when the handle bar carrying arm is disposed in a position at right angles With the body 2 so as to act as a means for preventing the swinging downward of the arm. In order to retain the arm in position an expansion spring 22 is provided which is located within the arm and has one end secured to the pin 8 while the other end is secured to the bottom wall of the arm by means of the integral tongue 23.

At its inner end of the top wall of the arm II is rounded off, as indicated at 24, while the bottom wall has a flange or tongue 25 for-med there- On and extending across the Vend of the arm.

As shown in Fig. 2 theV arm II when in raised position extends at one end horizontally vinto the shell 4, the top wall of the arm abutting the outer edge of the wall 5 of the shell,` while the bottom wall of the arm rests upon the lower edge ofV the opening 'I with the tongue 25 disposed within the body 2. The arm I I is drawn into the opening 'I by the spring 22, its movement inwardly being limited by the pin 8 in the alined slots I9 and when in this position the lugs 20 of the arm are disposed in the recesses 9, as previously described.

It, will thus be seen that when upward pressure is applied to the outer end of the arm II as by the lifting of the casket body by means of the hand bar or grip IG, the top wall of the arm will be forced against the edge of the wall 5 while the lower wall of the arm will bear firmly against the lower edge of the opening 'L fn order to release the arm so that the same together with the bar I6 may be folded down, the arm must first be drawn outwardly from the opening 'I whileat the same time its outer enddepressed the lugs 20l sliding out of the recesses 9. action will effect the relative movement of the pin in the slots IQ and the furtherv tensioning of the spring 22V and at the same time it will bring the tongue 25 against the inner edge of the lower wall of the opening 'l thus eifecting the holding of the rear end of the arm at is lower edge to facilitate the Swinging outwardly and downwardly of the, upper portion.

The final position of vthe arm with theV bar I6 is illustrated in Fig. 3, where it will be seen that the curved portion 24 lies beneath the outer edge of the wall 5 of the shell and the pin upon which the arm slides and oscillates. is disposed adjacent the ends of the slotsr I9 nearest the inner end of thearm.

From the foregoing it will be seenr that since the spring 22 is under a degree of tension at` all times, the. arm II Will always be held firmly against movement, and thus the elements of the handle will be kept from rattling in whatever positions they may be disposed. It will also be apparent that when the arms I I carrying the hand grip bar IG are raised to horizontal or operative position, they will be fixed, and will remain in this position at all times, and in| order to. insure the maintenance of the arms in raised position the-screw IO; is inserted into one of the out-pressed portions 9; and into the threaded. opening 2I of aoamvv a lug 20, as illustrated in Fig. 4. While in the present description and illustration of the drawing a single hand grip bar has been illustrated and referred to, it is to be understood that this represents one of several of such arms which may be employed in association with a single bar of the type usually employed and which extends throughout the length of the casket.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable handle of the character described, comprising a body having a socket opening, a hand grip, and an arm carrying said hand grip, and having an` end secured in said opening for both oscillatory and longitu'dinal reciprocatory movement whereby the hand grip may be disposed in either operative or inoperative relation with the body.

2. A foldable handle, comprising a body having an opening, a shell having three sides bordering the opening, a hand grip, an arm having an end extending into the opening through the shell and carrying the hand grip 8J? its other end, and means coupling the said first end of the arm between two sides of the shell permitting reciprocatory and oscillatory movement of the said first end of the arm in the opening.

3. A foldable handle, comprising a base body, means forming a shell carried by the body and having a top wall and side walls, an arm having an enddisposed between said side walls, means coupling the said end of the arm with said side walls whereby the end has oscillatory and reciprocatorymovement in the shell, a hand grip carried by said arm, and means whereby the arm is looked against oscillatory movement when it is oscillated and reciprocated in one direction relative to theV shell.

4, A foldable handle, comprising a base body, a shel1 carried by and projecting from the base and having an open outer and lower-side and top and sided walls,)an arm having one end disposed between the side, walls, connecting means between the arm and the side walls permitting oscillatory and limited1 reciprocatory movement of` thev arm, a hand grip carried by the arm, and coacting members carried by the` arm and the said side walls which interlock When the arm is oscillated and reciprocated in one direction relative tov the shell.

5.r Afoldable handle, comprising a base body, a` shell carried by and projecting from the base andhaving an open outer and lower side and top and side walls, an armflhaving one end disposed between the side walls, connecting means between thearm andv the side walls permitting oscillatory i and limited Iffciprocatoryl movement of the arm, ahalld riecarried: by the means forming a recess in each of said side,- walls, and a lug carried upon each side of said arm for engagement in a recesswhen thearmisoscillated and reciprocated in one. direction relative to the shell.

.6.. Afoldable handle, comprising a plate body, having an opening therein, an arm having an end disposed in said opening, a pin secured to extend across said opening and passing transversely through said arm, the arm having a slot. extending longitudinally thereof in which said` pin is located whereby the arm has oscillatory: and limited reciprocatory movement on the pin facilitating positioning of the arm at right angles to or in side-by-side relation with the plate, means for lock-ing thearmiagainst movement in thev said right-angula-r relation with ther plate, and a handgrip carried by the arm.

7:. A, foldable..handle,Y comprising a plate body aosmw having an opening therein, an arm having an end disposed in said opening, a pin secured to extend across said opening and passing transversely through said arm, the arm having a slot extending longitudinally thereof in which said pin is located, whereby the arm has oscillatory and limited reciprdcal movement on the pin facilitating positioning of the arm at right angles to or in side-by-side relation with the plate, means for looking the arm against movement in the said right-angular relation with the plate, a hand-grip carried by the arm, and resilient means connected with the arm and constantly resiliently holding the arm'against movement when in either of the two positions relative to the plate.

8. A foldable handle, comprising a plate having an opening, a shell having an open front and underside and a top and side walls, the said walls bordering the opening and projecting from the plate, an arm having an end disposed between said side walls and adapted to extend'into said opening, said arm having a longitudinally extending slot therein and passing transversely therethrough, a pin carried by said side walls and passing through said slot, a hand grip carried by the arm, and a spring secured at an end to said pin and having its other end secured to the arm and constantly urging the arm in a direction to maintain the pin in one end of the slot.

9. In a handle structure, a body having an opening therein, an arm having an end adapted to enter said opening, means supporting the arm from said end whereby the arm may have swinging and longitudinal reciprocatory movement to effect the insertion of said end into or its removal from the opening, and means limiting the further Swinging movement of the arm when the same has been moved into operative position.

10. In a handle structure, a body having an opening therein, an arm having an end adapted to enter said opening, means supporting the arm from said end whereby the arm may have swinging and longitudinal reciprocatory movement to effect the insertion of said end into or its removal from the opening, and resilient means connected with the arm and operating to urge the same to the limit of its movement after the arm has been shifted into its operative or noperative positions.

11. In a handle structure, a carrier body having an opening therein, a handle arm having an end adapted for insertion into said opening, means coupling the arm adjacent said end with the body and permitting the arm to have both Swinging and longitudinal reciprocatory movement whereby the said end may be swung into and out of said opening and simultaneously moved longitudinally relative thereto, and means for limiting further movement of the arm after it has been moved to one of its positions of adjustment.

12. In a handle structure, a carrier body having an opening therein, a handle arm having an end adapted for insertion into said opening, means coupling the arm adjacent said end vvith the body and permitting the arm to have both swinging and longitudinal reciprocatory movement whereby the said end may be swung into and out of said opening and simultaneously moved longitudinally relative thereto, and means carried by the arm for contacting an edge of said opening at the beginning of the movement of the arm in one direction to influence the direction of continued movement.

WILLIAM FREDERICK SHEELEY. 

